When you have dinner with the Angel of Death and don’t go home with the guy, it changes you.
REALLY changes you.
As a breast cancer survivor, I had the dubious honor of staring that particular angel right in the face. Needless to say it was an interesting experience that I don’t care to repeat.
(I am 12 years cancer free)
It did, however, leave me with a different perspective on life.
Now, instead of saying I have to go here and I have to go there, I actually say that “I get to” instead. A phrase that can be really funny depending on where I’m going at the time!
Think about it. Instead of saying “I have to go run errands,” you flip it and say “I get to go run errands.” Much more positive right? Plus, the hard core reality is that if the grim reaper had taken me, I wouldn’t have the privilege of getting older or running those errands. Getting old is a privilege, not a guarantee.
Can’t do it?
Perhaps you don’t feel like you’re thriving. I can help with that.
Take a look around you. Look at what you DO have.
You have a place to live. Food. Water. Clothes. Things denied to many around the world.
Short on money? Be grateful for the money you DO have.
Short on health? Be grateful for what you have today. You’re still alive and able to be with your family.
Short on a relationship? Be grateful for the relationships you have with your friends and/or family.
Change your perspective. Look at the positive side of things and watch your world change for the better!
Easy to do?
Not always. When I was sick, some days all I could be grateful for was the hot cup of coffee I was drinking. Or the hug my sons gave me. Gratitude in those days was a minute-by-minute choice.
Today it’s easier, but it’s also easier to forget. All I have to do is watch the nightly news and my brain goes right in the mud. I have to mentally work at it to bring it up to the positive again. Gratitude gets me there.
So as you go about your day today, remember to smell the roses once in a while and smile. All it takes is a second.
You GOT this!
